Time for Thinking
by Copper Steampunk
Summary: Stegz rambles about his friends while under the influence of a fever. Third, Spike.
1. Chapter 1: Chedra

Chedra was an enigma. She didn't speak of her home planet much, beyond the laws she treasured above her own well being. There were some days where I thought she was hiding from something.

_-"You mean, you've been in contact with Quadrania this whole time? That you could have gone back whenever you wanted?"_

_ "I-well, yes-but they don't have Mexican food on Quadrania!"-_

It was somewhat flattering that she would find the merest excuses to stay on Earth with us. As well as hurtful that she would imply that remaining for food was more important than remaining for us. After everything we've been through together, all the times we would have died were it not for her. Not to mention we pulled her proverbial tail out of the fire just as often. I thought we would have been friends, at the very least.

_-"Bootcamp? Like I don't see you guys showing off enough at breakfast!"-_

Of course, I have my suspicions about Spike's feelings for her, and that Hard Rock has similar feelings for her, but I won't say anything. I'm more than sure that T-Bone has noticed as well, and I'm just as sure that as long as it doesn't affect our teamwork, that he will let them work it out for themselves. Either Chedra is oblivious to their feelings, or she doesn't know what to do with them. Ten-to-one she hasn't noticed—she tends to not notice anything that doesn't involve her laws.

_-"Oh, Chedra, read me this one." "Are you sure? Oh, alright. It is one of my favorite laws."-_

I'll admit, I was jealous when C.P. appeared. Suspicious, yes, but a lot jealous. Thankfully the guys felt the same way, so it was easy to talk T-Bone into spying on Chedra's 'date'. It just goes to show just how young we really are. I'm not sure who is older, T-Bone or Hard Rock, but I do know they're both young adults. I'm right behind them in terms of age, then Spike and Bullseye. Sometimes I think we're still just oversized hatchlings, 65 million years in stasis non-withstanding.

I'm also reasonably certain that she's the eldest of us all, Pork included. Not that I've the courage to ask—I have no desire to make her mad at me. She's like an elder sister; always looking out for us, no matter how annoying we think she is.

_-"Uh, Chedra? I don't think you're supposed to conduct the bed checks when we're still in them."-_

Chedra was very focused on her job. Maybe even a little obsessed with catching Argor. What did he do to get her so riled up?...

"Yeesh, that's some fever he's got there."

"Stegz, it's probably better if you stop talking and get some rest. Your fever is getting too high."


	2. Chapter 2

T-bone was patient. More so than any of us gave him credit for. He never yelled at Bullseye for leaving the volume turned up on the television when the rest of us were trying to sleep. He could endure a lecture for hours on end and pay attention to the whole thing. Patient enough to knit and sew Halloween costumes for us (curse you, photographic memory! Of all things to remember with perfect clarity, why that one? I still have nightmares over that incident!), and patient enough to look after children. That's one of the reasons he is our leader.

Of course, we never officially declared him our leader. It was more like, 'get caught by Argor, get evolved, notice that there's a super-predator nearby-we'd better do as he says'. We've just always followed his lead, and never asked why. I wonder how much of his leadership is from Argor and how much of it is natural. Some days it seems like he takes the raptors' insolence as a personal insult to his authority. Perhaps, as a super-predator, it's simply written in his instincts for other predators to obey him, or get squashed. But that doesn't explain why Chedra will follow his lead at times.

T-bone lets us pursue our own hobbies and interests, so long as they don't interfere with our fights against the raptors. He doesn't say much about Spike's gardening, or Hard Rock's book collection, or Bullseye's fascination with bad monster movies. Nothing about my tinkering and building of new gadgets, or Chedra's trips to the library for books on human laws. Since he hasn't bothered us about our 'obsessions', I've kept secret the times he's snuck into the cruiser to watch the live poker tournaments. Not to mention the times when Porky returned to the house smelling like cigarettes. He says he quit a long time ago, but he always hurries to the shower to get rid of the smell. I'm sure he doesn't want a lecture from Chedra, though goodness knows she doesn't get after him nearly as much as us. Perhaps because it's _his_ home….there's probably a law on how to treat your host in that book of hers. Who am I kidding? There's probably an entire _chapter_! I'll ask Spike about it later.

Our resident predator has spent many afternoons and evenings hunched over a chessboard, discussing tactics with Chedra. T-bone isn't too proud to learn something new, and he frequently goes over past battles, looking at mistakes and making plans to keep them from happening again. We're lucky he's inclined to do good deeds; I would hate to go against him should he turn bad!

Of course, he's not perfect. As patient as he is, his temper is just as bad. Thankfully he prefers to turn his anger to the raptors, and in the absence of them, will go for a long walk around the museum we call home. He's also terrible with technology. I know he got the same knowledge we did during the forced evolution, but a lot of it hasn't stuck. The thought of leaving him alone with my computer terrifies me! I do know that Chedra can look after my computer, and to a lesser extent, Bullseye, but I wouldn't trust any of the others with it. They're more of the 'act first, plan later' kind of dinosaurs. But after working together for so long, he knows just where to point them to get the best effect….

"Hmm, still running hot."

"Still rambling, too. I'll get more ice packs."


	3. Chapter 3

A.N.: I LIVE! I'm sorry for the wait, I do work odd hours, and I've been through two weddings, a funeral, and a move since I last posted. So here's an update, if only to get me back into the writing kick.

* * *

Spike was stubborn. Headstrong, I believe is the correct term. He's always the first to volunteer, to rush headlong into danger or to fight the raptors. He's also always the first to distract Chedra from the outcome of our escapades. Always the first to suggest a vacation. Preferably with a lot of food.

T-Bone may be the leader, but Spike is the enforcer. He follows T-Bone's lead without question (most of the time), and is loyal to a fault. Spike also possesses the unfortunate habit of speaking before thinking. Out of us all, he's the best at starting fights, and the most eager to cause damage.

I still remember when he cornered C.P. and, just to freak out the guy, started eating his books.

Spike is also an amazing cook. Every adventure we go on, he keeps his eyes peeled for new spices and peppers. There were even a few times where he had spoken with the natives and gotten a new recipe. (_"Just you wait guys! This chili set your mouth on fire!") _And his garden out back! While most of it consists of hot peppers, there is a corner dedicated to vegetables. Both T-Bone and Chedra believe that we would be poor guests if we didn't contribute to the house in some form or another, and this is how Spike helps out. That gardening seems to help him relax has nothing to do with it. Or so I'm told.

I've noticed his mini-rivalry with Hard Rock over Chedra's attentions, and while I've noticed (and I'm positive T-Bone knows) Bullzeye, Porky, and Chedra herself are oblivious. It's probably better that way. At least they haven't come to blows over her. We'd have to step in if they did something stupid, like all out fighting over her. I know T-Bone won't tolerate that at all.

Of course, when it's just Spike and Bullzeye, the two get into the most extraordinary situations. Like when Spike got stuck in the Bermuda Triangle. Or Bullzeye lost his memory and thought he was a bird for a day. Or how they both got into boot camp with Hard Rock (they complained for days).

Spike once told me that he had a friend out in the world, a human friend who was blind. Sometimes he goes to talk to that friend, '_just to clear my head!'_ he would say. T-Bone lets him go only as long as he takes his communicator. Just in case.

There are a lot of 'just in case's' that we plan for. Having our home discovered, running into Scarwell, another incident with Bad Rap taking over a T.V. station. The rogue archaeologist. The 'ultimate hunter' who caught us for his zoo. That weird red-headed yellow jumpsuit female reporter from New York. She wasn't afraid of us in the slightest, even went so far as to chase us down.

We worry about our allies too. Porky could get into a lot of trouble for sheltering us here. Mully and Sculder could loose their jobs for hiding our location. The prince.

We had to protect them too.

"Another degree higher. We might have to give him an ice bath soon."

"Only if his temperature goes up again. He's going to hate us for the bath."


End file.
